Match-holder



F. P. CLARK.

MATCH HOLDER.

Patented May 21, 1895.

(No Model.)

,7//////\//////// .i'nmllllw @muy i Si //////7///// if. NITED STAIES PATENT price@ ,FRANK P. CLARK,OF NORTH BALTIMORE, OHIO.

MATCH-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofV Lettersk Patent No. 539,668, dated May 21, 1 895.

v Application tiled May 29,1894. Serial No. 512,859. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.: Be it known that I, FRANKP. CLARIQresiding at North Baltimore, in the county of Wood and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Match-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of matchholders constructed to discharge a single match at each manipulation; and it has primarily for its object to provide a holder of this kind, of a neat and simple construction,

easily manipulated, and which will positively operate to discharge a single match at eachv movement, and in which the feed or discharging means will not become easily choked or rendered inoperative.

It also has for its object to provide a holder having a compartment constructed to receive the matches in bulk from the ordinary matchboxes, and in which the matches will be uniformly held in such a manner that the same will automatically feed toward the feed-opening.

With other minor objects in View, which will hereinafter be referred to, the inventionlconsists in such novel combination and peculiar relation of parts as will be iirstdescribed in detail and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure vl is a perspective View of my improved match-holder. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ejector hereinafter particularly referred-to; and Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2.

In the practical construction, the holder may be made of wood or metal, in its preferred construction it being of some light cast metal, and substantially of the design shown; it being obvious, however, that the ornamentation may be varied.

In the drawings I have shown ,the body A formed with a sloping top, a, which is removable, roughened on the outside when of metal, and covered with emery when made of wood, to form a convenient striking portion.

The body A has a central portion B, whereby to form a holding chamber C, which chamber in the actual construction is of a length and breadthsufcient to admit of the inser' .tion of the end of an ordinary match-box, from which (after its end has been removed) the matches are fed inbulk into such chamber.

The front of the chamber C has a sight opening covered with a glass front D, and at its inner lower end it has an inwardly inclined portion C which terminates over the ejector F, which forms the bottom proper for the said chamber C, as will presently more fully apear.

p The lower portion of the casing front is formed of asolid member EX having an arched recess, E, the edges eX e of which terminate in impact portions, the inner sides of which have yielding edges formed preferably of a rubber strap E5, which extends down a distance lslightly more than the thickness of a single match, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The ejector F, the construction of which is most clearly shown in Fig. 4, isheld to fit the lower portion of the body A, andcomprises a front f, a curved upper portion f extended downwardly and inwardly from the front f, and a rearwardly extending straight portion f2, which ,extends under the partition B, and forms a counter-balance and a lock portion. This ejector it will be seen in Fig. 2, is pivotally hung near its lower front edge on a transverse rod G, its front portion f being normally held, (owing to the rear end being Weighted) iush with the lower edge of the rubber edge E5, such front f havinga recess or cut-out or finger portion fx, which merges into a central recess or finger portion FX in the top portion of the ejector, as most clearly shown in Fig. 4. By reference to such figure it will be noticed the upper face of the ejector adjacent the recess FX, has raised portions f5 f5 having transverse grooves F2, which form pockets to receive the body of the match, which portions f5 terminate at depressed portions fi (see.Fig.5) which are adapted to receive the headed ends of the matches, which portions gradually taper rearward and merge into the upper or curved face of the ejector. The object in thus constructing the top of the ejector is to prevent such ejector becoming locked from movement should any of the matches get down endwise or diagonally at IOO the sides of the chamber and seat their ends in the transverse pocket or groove F2, where it extended entirely across.

By constructing the ejector as shown and described, it will be seen that while the parts F2 f5 form ample seat portions to carry the match held therein forward, should any of the matches drop endwise on the portions f6, they could not interfere with the swing movement of the ejector nor would they be snapped or otherwise broken by such movement. Furthermore by providing a yielding impact face at the feed opening, it will allow for the delivery of large headed or irregular shaped matches being fed out without the danger of having a too large discharge space, the danger of the box being locked by such irregular or large matches and setting such matches on fire being also avoided.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is thought the complete operation and advantages of my improved match holder will be readily understood.

It will be seen, that to operate such box it is only necessary to catch a single match between the thumb and forenger and by a downward and outward pull it is drawn with the ejector forward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, from which it can be quickly removed, and held ready for striking the ejector dropping back in position the matches being automatically forced forward to the feed or discharge opening by the inclined portion C of partition C.

For the sake of ornamentation, and also to form a convenient striking portion, a steplike base J is secured at the front of the body A, which is curved with emery, when of wood or roughened when of metal.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent isn 1. An improved match holder comprising a vertically disposed holding chamber, the front wall having at its lower end a centrally disposed upwardly curved opening, a pivoted ejector portion forming the bottom of such chamber having a vertical front portion, forming normally an extension of the front wall of the chamber, said front portion having an inwardly and downwardly extended central opening normally held in register with the opening in the front wall, and having in its upper face at a point in line with the inner face of the front Wall a match receiving recess or pocket holding chamber, all arranged substantially as shown whereby the lower most match can be grasped between the fingers, and the ejector swung outward as the match is pulled against the front wall of its pocket, as set forth.

2. A match-holder, comprising a main or receiving chamber open at the bottom, and having a vertical recess in its front wall at the bottom, an oscillating ejector having an upper curved portion held to form the bottom of such chamber, and formed with a central recess, and pocket or groove portions extended over the front edge at a point normally to the inside of the front wall of such chamber, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

3. Animproved match holder, comprising a holding-chamber, having an opening at its lower front end, a pivoted ejector held in such end, and forming the bottom of the chamber, and adapted to be swung with its front end beyond the front of the said chamber, said ejector having its top curved rearward, and formed near its front edge with raised portions f5 having seats F2, and depressed portions f at the ends of the portions f5, tapered to merge into the curved top of the ejector, all arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

4. A match holder having a holding chamber formed with aA front wall terminating at the lower edge with a finger opening EX, and having on its inner face at the lower edge, a pendent yielding member, projected a distance a little more than the thickness ofa single match, a pivoted ejector forming the bottom of the chamber and having :its upper edge held flush with the lower end of the yielding member, said ejector having a match receiving pocket at a point inside the said yielding member, and having a central finger opening all arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. An improved match holder comprising a base member, a vertical body having at its front a match holding chamber, open at the top and bottom, its front wall having at its lower edge a central nger opening, a top having a striking surface, detachably held over the said chamber, a pivoted ej ector, nor- IOC mally held with its front Wall Hush with the l front of the match chamber, and centrally cut out at the top and front to form a finger opening, and havingpockets or recesses in its upper face at each side of such upper opening all arranged substantially as shown, whereby the lower most match will always be in View, and capable of being grasped with the ngers and pulled outward with the ejector as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK P. CLARK. lVitnesses:

THOMAS SHEARER, G. A. SANDYE. 

